Meet the new Clarkfield Care Center Executive Director

Friday

The Clarkfield Care Center now has a new Director. Shari McNamara was named the Clarkfield Care Center’s Executive Director in October. The following is an excerpt from an interview with McNamara:

Advocate Tribune: 1. Background on yourself?

Shari McNamara: I am originally from the Twin Cities Area, St. Anthony Village in Northeast Minneapolis. I grew up on Big Marina Lake and went to Forest Lake High School. My educational background – I have a three year degree in nutrition, then I went back to school for my Bachelor’s degree and got it in Management. I decided to go back to graduate school in Health Care Administra-tion at the University of Minnesota and received my Administrator’s License. Before coming to Clarkfield, my most recent job was the Presbyterian Homes of Bloomington as a Household coordinator. I was a clinical dietician at a few long-term care places. I also worked at acute care as a clinical dietician at North Memorial Medical Center for almost 13 years.

AT: 2. What prompted you to come over to Clarkfield?

SM: It was a rural smaller community and I had heard really, really good things about it. The compassion and empathy of a small town, and just walking in here it was a homelike feeling, it was just amazing. Ecumen, it’s just an amazing organization as well,. This opportunity came along and I came out to this community and I fell in love with it right away. It has a lot to offer, I really enjoy being here. Our staff, I have to say, is just amazing. It’s just that hometown feel, it’s pretty amazing, it really is. Just the activities we do, too, for our residents, we’re constantly doing things for them and listening to what their wants and needs are as well, and being enlightened by that. It’s just a wonderful community, It’s so welcoming and friendly. And the food is really good, too. That’s one thing as a dietician!

AT: 3. Working with such an award winning Care Center, how does that make you look forward to the future?

SM: It’s so exciting. We’re looking into the future, we’re looking into possible childcare here, if it allows. It’s a possibility we’re looking into it now. Our new growth of Homecare as well, we just moved into the Diamond Mall recently. And our advisory board, what a terrific board we have. They’re really helpful, they are really good at advising and they have some very knowledgeable people. We have really good Pinnacle results as well for what residents have to say.

SM: For hobbies I like to ski, I play trumpet. I like to read, I also like to skate and volunteer. My family, – I have my husband, Ron, and a son named Daniel, who is in college as an undergraduate at Metropol-itan State University.

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